DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) – The June 2026 Iowa primary is still 16 months away. That means there is plenty of time for circumstances to change. Among them could be the value of President Donald Trump’s endorsement in the campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Trump’s general election win in Iowa last November was his largest margin of victory in the three times that he has appeared on the ballot. That could be a sign of his strength (and the Democrats’ weakness) with voters overall) and indicate how valuable his endorsement could be, especially with Republican primary voters in a high-profile race like governor.
On the other hand, there are some unknowns since the primary election is still far away. Nearly half of the Iowans who took part in the 2024 Iowa Republican Caucuses supported someone other than Trump.
Also, Trump’s actions as president may turn off some who supported him. Closing or significantly reducing USAID and freezing federal agreements with farmers have brought angst in whether the administration will ultimately abide by those funding supports. Does that hurt his support with some rural Republicans?
And what happens if Trump doesn’t eliminate inflation like he told voters that he would when he campaigned for the job?
That said, it would appear most likely that Trump’s endorsement could be helpful for an Iowa Republican running for governor.
Here is what Governor Kim Reynolds (who hasn’t yet announced her re-election campaign) and Brad Sherman, a former state representative and Williamsburg pastor (who declared his campaign last week) told Gray Media Iowa in recent weeks about the possibility of getting Trump’s endorsement.
Here is Brad Sherman’s interview on “Inside Iowa Politics” where he discusses his campaign for governor and what he thinks about various issues that could important to Republican primary voters.
About the author: Midwest native Dave Price is Gray Television’s Iowa Political Director for nine stations that broadcast in the state and has been covering local, state and national politics from Iowa since 2001.
Dave produces and hosts “Inside Iowa Politics,” a weekly, in-depth show focused on interviews with top leaders on politics, issues, challenges and solutions that impact the state.
